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When The Sceptical Chymist first appeared in Everyman’s
Library in 1911 it would have been comprehensible to anyone who had
studied chemistry. At that time many of the older chemical names were
still mentioned in textbooks. Names such as aqua fortis,
copperas, and litharge were still sometimes used. However
as these names now mean nothing to many younger chemists, a modern
student could not read The Sceptical Chymist and understand it
without some help. A compilation of online annotations are available
and should provide the assistance required. Firstly, there is an
index of the names of the scientists mentioned by Boyle. As many of the
names may not be familiar to the modern reader, there are brief
biographical notes and reference is given when possible to English
editions of their books. Secondly, there is an index of
substances giving both the old names, which Boyle used, and modern
chemical names. Lastly, there are notes, using modern chemical
names and formulae, to clarify the experiments that Boyle describes. As
knowledge of Latin is less general than it used to be, translations are
given of some of the Latin passages quoted by Boyle. In some cases,
use has been made of translations that were published in the 17th
century. Consult these annotations online
(accessed Jan 2003). The 1661 edition of The Sceptical
Chymist is also available online (accessed Jan 2003). Although the Everyman
edition has been out of print for some years, copies are still to be
found in libraries and second-hand bookshops. However, a reprint of
the 1661 edition is in print, ISBN 0-922802-90-4, by
Kessinger Publishing, LLC, priced at $36.00.
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